Manchester United will play their first game since parting ways with Erik ten Hag, as they face Leicester City at Old Trafford in an EFL Cup fourth-round showdown on Wednesday evening.
The Red Devils aim to regain some positive momentum after Sunday’s defeat to West Ham United, while Leicester look to escape from their Premier League relegation fight with a much-needed break in cup competition.
Match Preview
After a turbulent tenure, Erik ten Hag’s era as Manchester United’s manager has concluded. Over his two years with the club, Ten Hag led Manchester United to some domestic cup success, but also faced significant challenges in both the Premier League and European competitions. Following the club’s worst Premier League season in 2023-24, where United finished in eighth place and fell far behind the title contenders, struggles continued into the current season. With just three wins out of their first nine Premier League matches, it became apparent that the team's issues were deep-rooted.
United’s 54-year-old manager was dismissed the morning after a disappointing road loss to West Ham United. Goals from West Ham’s new addition Crysencio Summerville and established player Jarrod Bowen secured a narrow defeat for United at London Stadium. Despite substantial investment in the squad over the summer, United’s struggles to develop a clear playing identity forced the club’s board to make the difficult decision to seek new leadership.
Former Manchester United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy will assume the role of interim manager, bringing experience from his year in charge of PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, where he guided the club to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie.
Leicester City’s Recent Run
Under the guidance of manager Steve Cooper, Leicester City had shown glimpses of recovery with consecutive wins over Bournemouth and Southampton earlier in the month. However, their momentum was halted when they faced Nottingham Forest on Friday night. Forest, led by veteran striker Chris Wood, clinched a 2-1 victory thanks to Wood’s second-half brace. Leicester’s veteran Jamie Vardy had initially equalized after Ryan Yates opened the scoring, but the Foxes couldn’t prevent a Forest victory at the King Power Stadium.
Despite this setback, Leicester’s recent performances have boosted them to 15th place in the Premier League, now holding a five-point cushion above 18th-placed Ipswich Town. Manager Steve Cooper, while disappointed with the loss, can take comfort in Leicester’s recent six-point haul from three games.
Leicester’s EFL Cup Journey So Far
Leicester’s path to this EFL Cup fourth-round fixture saw them overcome two lower-tier teams. In August, Cooper’s side comfortably defeated League Two’s Tranmere Rovers before edging past Walsall in a penalty shootout. Now, they face a sterner test at Old Trafford as they aim to revive memories of Leicester’s past successes, including their 2026 Premier League title and 2021 FA Cup victory.
This year marks a significant milestone for Leicester City, as it’s been 25 years since their last EFL Cup triumph in 1999, when they became the last team to win the competition at the old Wembley Stadium.
